The View from a Chaplain serving in Iraq (Fallujah)

Email | April 14, 2004 | Active Duyt Military

[Jeff Head]

I received the following email today from an active duty individual whom I trust and respect. I felt everyone should have an opportunity to see/read the contents. God bless our military people as they go about this critical task.

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I usually do not share my military e-mail with civilians but a lot of the times the media only gives us one side of the story. The Commander of a Naval Air Station copied us on an e-mail from a military chaplain serving in Iraq. His message is the same whatever your faith is.

We must stay the course.

From a Chaplain serving in Iraq

Hot and sunny on Good Friday...quiet in Fallujah and Ar Ramadi. The Coalition has announced a pause in offensive operations. Humanitarian aid is being searched and then allowed into the city of Fallujah. Defensive operations continue 24/7. It is all war, all the time. The bad guys are regrouping. So are the Marines. The brawl will begin again...probably tonight. All intel points to the bad guys redistributing ammo, enlisting kids in the fight and moving for new cover. Convoys are limited..danger of ambush is high.

Life in Blue Diamond continues, with an edge. Imagine a place the size of Lakeland Shores with 5 times the population. One asphalt street, two dirt roads. Due to the siege..no sanitation service for three day..that includes pumping satellites...We are on the edge of the town..we see the minarets of the city and we hear the imams sermons as they rail against us....good thing few here understand Arabic cause I can tell you the preachers weren't teaching the golden rule today.

Morale, sky high...extra intensity..friends are on the line. The senior nco's and officers here, feel the pull the most. They have served with or trained everyone on the line..The Corps is a small community. This is very personal. If a person can do something to help the outcome of the fight..they'll find a way..it's that kind of day..all for one, one for all. I divide the day; Holy Week service planning, convoy prayers, and COC intercessory prayers.

First, I go to the DIV Chaplain office to meet with the command Chaplain..the fighting Irishman. What a man. RC Christians...be proud..you've got a great priest here. He spares nothing to get to his marines. He loves marines and he loves God. He waded into Ar Ramadi during the fire fight, three days ago...to provide ministry at the aid station...came back weary but satisfied he was where he was needed. He's on the road, to all the FOB's ministering to marines. I had the privilege of praying for him, this morning. If he goes down the morale in this Division would take a huge hit. They love him.

Second, I work to coordinate Good Friday, Easter Sunrise and Protestant Easter Service. Having services in a war zone is a little different.

1. We have to worry about getting large numbers of people in one place. One mortar round into the right place and you could kill a lot of marines.
2. Organists are in short supply and we don't have an organ. Music?
3. We are going to worship and it will be well attended...we need Easter..because we live in the valley of the shadow of death..we need the resurrection.

Third, twice a day I go to the 'Cave'..the combat operations center..which is housed in a former palace..poorly lit and the hub of fighting the battle...I stand in the corner and pray for each person/position and those they represent. I don't know many of them, but God does. I pray for wisdom, strength, mercy, endurance and God's presence for each warrior all those they serve or represent. I cover the Cave and the battle field as I look at live imagery projected on the wall. I don't know how the marines do it..but the COC is loaded with stark looking marines. The senior NCO's all look like NFL lineman. The junior officers look like marathon runners and the mid-grade officers look like NFL halfbacks...the senior officers are lean, tanned and serious..deadly serious. The place exudes the warrior spirit. If you are a civilian I can't explain it and won't apologize for it. If you are a veteran you don't need to have it explained..the warrior spirit. These marines are in a street fight. They don't have the word 'lose' in their vocabulary. They've been bloodied and their anger is up. The intensity in the COC is contagious. This is a tribe of warriors. They exist to close with and destroy the enemy. They have their tribal mores, rituals and rites. Their enemy has desecrated members of the tribe and taunted the marines. They've asked for a fight. The marines are in full pursuit and absolutely determined to annihilate their foe. I'm sure that sounds harsh to politically correct ears and those for whom this type of violence is anachronistic. It does not sound foreign here...it is status quo. We are in a violent land, with an evil element and they are having violence visited upon them. There is no room here for half measures. This is a test of wills...one side will prevail. That is clearly understood and never discussed..it is obvious. We aren't playing paintball..we are at war.

Fourth, Convoy prayers...convoys go out of here regularly. I hunt them down..pass out a small card with a convoy prayer on it and then gather whoever wants to pray and we pray. The number of prayers is going up, hourly, as the ambushes continue. Here's how intense it has become..today's standard preconvoy brief now includes the following: "If you drive into the kill zone..two options..drive through and on, or reverse and drive out. Do not stop. If you are blocked into the kill zone..displace from the vehicle, find cover, fix the target, engage, maneuver and destroy the hostile forces. Target selection..rules have changed...avoid civilians, if possible. Hostile forces are now using civilians as shields. We are not interested in losing more marines. If you can avoid putting civilians in your line of fire, avoid it. If not, fire to take out the hostile forces. Implication? Chilling...we've entered a new dimension. We are fighting an enemy who respects no laws of humanity, knows no rules of landwarfare and gives no quarter. How do we fight, without become barbarians ourselves?

Fifth, ministry of presence..in a place this small..I walk from shop to shop and just say, 'hi'..can't tell you the number of times someone says..."Hey, chappy..it's great to have you here." Something about seeing a chaplain is calming to folks this close to the fight. Good Friday in Ar Ramadi..while you're having lunch I'll lead the evening Good Friday service. We will remember our Savior who willingly laid down His life that we might live..and we'll be thinking about young marines and soldiers who are willingly putting their lives on the line so Iraqis can be free...no great love hath a man than to lay down his life for his brother...

Good Friday to you,

[Jeff Head]

As the original email indicates...we must stay the course.

Jeff

[Jeff Head]

I PING to everyone on my list.

[Jeff Head]

You two may want to ping this to your lists.

[archy]

FYI, Rags.

[Jeff Head]

Great, patriotic, faithful comments from a brave and faithful man serving with brave and faithful personnel.

[The Mayor]

Bump!

[livius]

Thank you for this post!

[Jeff Head]

Thank you for the BUMP, please spread the word regarding this post and the reality our people face against our enemies.

[Jeff Head]

You are welcome. Feel free to spread the word and get this message out to others.

[Miss Marple]

Thank you for posting this. It reminds me to redouble my prayer effort.

[Jeff Head]

I see we are both posting this morning at the same time.

I have to go to work, but hope you get a chance to read this thread.

[MinuteGal]

This report choked me up. God bless and protect our troops.

Leni

[The Mayor]

Ping

[philman_36]

Thanks for the ping.
How do we fight, without become barbarians ourselves?
Isn't that the age old question.

I said it the other day and I'll say it again...
This is a tribe of warriors. They exist to close with and destroy the enemy.
We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. George Orwell

[Jeff Head]

We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. George Orwell

Exactly, and amen to it. Rough men...but good men who understand the necessity of carryin the fight to these animals, and are willing to follow their CINC's orders to do so.

[Jeff Head]

God bless and protect our troops.

Amen to that, and thank you for the ping. Please spread this word.

[cyn]

"I stand in the corner and pray for each person/position and those they represent. I don't know many of them, but God does. I pray for wisdom, strength, mercy, endurance and God's presence for each warrior all those they serve or represent. I cover the Cave and the battle field as I look at live imagery projected on the wall."

Thank you for sharing this, Jeff -- and tell him we are praying for them as well. It helps to see what he's praying for.

[Edgewood Pilot]

Thank you for the post. I hope word gets to the chaplain of our gratitude and love for our soldiers--and of our prayers for the families men of the men and women who have fallen.

[Edgewood Pilot]

Thank you for the post. I hope word gets to the chaplain of our gratitude and love for our soldiers--and of our prayers for the families men of the men and women who have fallen.

[Jeff Head]

I will send that message back to the individual who sent me this email...I have already alerted him to this thread and hopefully he will read it himself and pass the word back up the line.

Thank you so much for those sentiments and prayers for our personnel who are in harm's way.

[SpookBrat]

ping

[jtminton]

Bump

[Jeff Head]

You are welcome my friend. The individual who sent me this message is aware of this thread and I am sure he will see your comments and know of the prayers being offered and the sentiments and support being given.

God bless you, and thank you for them.

[TrueBeliever9]

Thanks Jeff for posting - we must pray without ceasing for our military! There are many evil forces at work in Iraq; I ask the LORD to send legions of angels of war daily to accompany, defend and preserve them.

[Jeff Head]

BUMP back to you both.

[Jeff Head]

You are welcome, and thank you for those prayers. We all need to offer more and come closer to our Maker.

There are many evil forces at work in Iraq

Unfortunately, there are many similar evil forces at work right here in the CONUS, supporting and abetting those enemies in Iraq and elsewhere.

2 Chron 7:14

[Jeff Head]

Thank you for those snetiments and the ping. I agree with you whole heartedly. Our fellow countrymen need to see this message.

[risk]

I read this and I think in the Revolutionary War I wouldn't have been considered too old to stand up and fight for the Republic at my age. But at least I can appreciate what these Marines are laying on the line for me. As long as we have men like this and civilians at home to support them, our nation will manage any crisis.

I wish the best for the civilians. I hope they have the patience to realize that it wasn't our Marines who decided to make their back yards and kitchens into a war zone. I'm sure we don't want to hurt them or desecrate their hallowed places. But we've got to win. If they help us, they can go back to practicing whatever they practice and looking after their own security sooner than later.

[MEG33]

Thank you,Jeff,I am praying for our troops in harms way.May they know how much we appreciate their service to our country.

[Jeff Head]

Amen to redoubling our prayer efforts. This fine and faithful chaplain understands the need and I am glad his message has been passed on to us!

Please pass it on to others.

[Jeff Head]

I agree with your comments completely.

As long as we have men like this and civilians at home to support them, our nation will manage any crisis.

And a BIG amen to that.

[Jeff Head]

You are welcome...and thank you so much for those prayers on behalf of our personnel who are serving our nation.

[Atlantic Friend]

Very good post.

[risk]

Hi A.F., it sounds like bin Laden or his analog is offering Europe a Hudna. I have to wonder if this ploy will be effective in dividing us further. I hope not.

[Just another Joe]

I understand the spirit the chaplain is talking about.
Knew marines while in the Navy over in the PI and the chaplain is right. Lose is not in their vocabulary.

Stay strong, stay well, and stay alive to visit destruction on the enemy, Marines.

[archy]

Great, patriotic, faithful comments from a brave and faithful man serving with brave and faithful personnel.

Indeed. There ought to be something we could do for that Padre. To wit:

Organists are in short supply and we don't have an organ. Music?

Before I started working with this instrument, I wanted to know who or what is (or was) Tyros? The mythical Greek Goddess of Consumer Electronics excess? No, Tyros is derived from the Medieval Latin for “young soldier.” In recent years, it’s taken on the connotation of “amateur” or “dabbler,” which, it turns out, is one type of player who’s likely to be very interested in this keyboard.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[cyn]

Not only on this thread -- I linked it to Terri Schiavo's daily thread for Terri's warriors in that ongoing battle against evil on the home front.

I was struck by the specificity of his prayer, which is what I strive for as well as I know needs better.

I note that you told another poster down below that "we need to ... come closer to our Maker. -- I SO agree; I am so convicted of my need for Him! I want to stay right close to Him; don't want to be anywhere else.

Continued prayers, and my family's gratitude, for those in Iraq and other troubled areas around the world. Our condolences to those who have lost their loved ones.

[Dust in the Wind]

Bump

[metesky]

Linda, thanks for the ping.

Jeff, thanks for giving all of us a chance to read this email.

A prayer for our troops and President Bush...

[Atlantic Friend]

Oh, I don't suppose anybody would fall for it.

Usually, when domestic terror groups announce they are "willingly calling hostilities to an halt", that means they're either decimated by police raids or that they've painted themselves into a corner. Or, when it's Corsican terrorist groups, that they're too busy killing splinter groups and other Mafia associates and such-likes.

Remember the AZF group that threatened to bomb French railways in February ? They issued a statement saying they were "experiencing logistical difficulties" and had "decided to show goodwill". Hard not to chuckle when your sworn enemy that until now played suddenly says "Er, I'm not too gifted for the terrorist business, after all, so I'll just go and make myself scarce, and don't try to pursue me or I'll be sorry".

[el_texicano]

Mega-Semper Fi Marines. Stay safe, stay focused, stay lethal...

Our prayers are with you all. Our hearts continually ache for your safety and safe return...And for the families of the wounded and fallen.

[CarryaBigStick]

Bump

[Mac94]

OUTSTANDING!

Great article!

[Mudboy Slim]

"We Must Stay the Course!!"

BTTT and FReegards...MUD

[aloysius89]

Bookmark for later reading and discussion with my Pastor (Desert Storm Chaplain).
P.S. Dear Ragtime Cowgirl if the list mentioned at the top concerns military issues, I would like to be included.
Thank you
Al

[Shery]

Thanks for the post! We must remember to keep these guys in prayer before the Lord day and night! Also their wives. We know several there now, young men with families. Many of them had their tour extended recently, so they have not seen their families in a long time. The wives fear they may never see them alive again, and that fear is justified, as we all know.
As they are on duty round the clock, we might want to consider a vigil of prayer for them as well that goes round the clock! What do you say?

[MudPuppy]

mark and Bump.

Semper Fi!

[LizardQueen]

2. Organists are in short supply and we don't have an organ. Music?

Bagpipes. Go with the bagpipes - the one instrument that's portable, doesn't need power, and doesn't need amplification!
We got married outdoors and had a bagpiper for music. Other than the guests who didn't like them doubled over clutching their ears it was great ::grin::.

Great note, thanks for posting it.

LQ